Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh facts for kids
Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh (born on August 28, 1979) is a talented fiddler from Dublin, Ireland. He is famous for his unique way of playing the fiddle, which creates a continuous, humming sound, much like the uilleann pipes. This style is also inspired by the traditional music from a place in Ireland called Sliabh Luachra.
Caoimhín went to Trinity College Dublin where he studied Theoretical Physics. He was a top student and earned a special degree in 2001. He spent several summers working at the Irish Traditional Music Archives in Dublin. This helped him discover many old recordings that shaped his music style and the songs he plays.
He has worked with many other musicians. With uilleann piper Mick O'Brien, he released an album called Kitty Lie Over in 2003. This album was even named the best traditional album of that year by an American newspaper. Caoimhín often performs with accordion player Brendan Begley and has also worked with sean-nós singer Iarla Ó Lionáird. He has played with international groups like Amiina from Iceland, and with artists such as Sam Amidon and The Waterboys.
Caoimhín is a member of two popular traditional music groups. One is The Gloaming, which includes Martin Hayes, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Dennis Cahill, and Thomas Bartlett. The other group is This Is How We Fly, with Petter Berndalen, Nic Gareiss, and Seán Mac Erlaine. He has also created music for plays at the Abbey Theatre and works with the Gare St Lazare Players. In 2015, he contributed music to the film Brooklyn, recording special reels with accordion player Fiachna Ó Mongáin.
His Special Instruments
Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh plays several interesting instruments. Besides the regular violin and Hardanger fiddle, he plays a unique fiddle made by a Norwegian instrument maker named Salve Hakedal. This special fiddle has five strings that are bowed (played with a bow) and five other strings that vibrate on their own, creating a rich sound. He calls this instrument a Hardanger d'Amore.
He also uses special ways of tuning his fiddle, which is common in Norwegian and old-time American fiddle music. He uses unique bows made by Michel Jamonneau. Caoimhín also plays the tin whistle, flute, and uilleann pipes. He learned to play the whistle and flute from Michael Tubridy, a famous flute player from The Chieftains and Ceoltóirí Chualann.
Music Projects
In 2011, Caoimhín performed a new piece of music called The Valley of the Lunatics, written for him by Dave Flynn. Part of this music was later used in the soundtrack for the film The Enigma of Frank Ryan.
In 2019, he and Thomas Bartlett, who is also in The Gloaming, released an album together. It was called Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and Thomas Bartlett and featured music they recorded during breaks from touring with The Gloaming.
Discography
- Turas go Tír na nÓg (1999)
- Kitty Lie Over (2003, with Mick O'Brien)
- Where the One-Eyed Man is King (2007)
- Comb Your Hair and Curl It (2010, with Mícheál Ó Raghallaigh and Catherine McEvoy)
- Triúr sa Draighean (2010, with Peadar Ó Riada and Martin Hayes)
- A Moment of Madness (2010, with Brendan Begley)
- Deadly Buzz (2011, with Mick O'Brien)
- Triúr Arís (2012, with Peadar Ó Riada and Martin Hayes)
- Triúr Omós (2013, with Peadar Ó Riada and Martin Hayes)
- This is How we Fly (2013, with Seán Mac Erlaine, Nic Gareiss and Petter Berndalen)
- The Gloaming (2014, with Iarla Ó Lionáird, Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill and Thomas Bartlett)
- Music for an Elliptical Orbit (2014, on Diatribe Records)
- Laghdú (2014, with Dan Trueman)
- The Gloaming 2 (2016, with Iarla Ó Lionáird, Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill and Thomas Bartlett)
- Foreign Fields (2017, with Seán Mac Erlaine, Nic Gareiss and Petter Berndalen)
- All Soundings are True (2017, with Garth Knox)
- The Gloaming: Live at the NCH (2018, with Iarla Ó Lionáird, Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill and Thomas Bartlett)
- The Gloaming 3 (2019, with Iarla Ó Lionáird, Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill and Thomas Bartlett)
- Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and Thomas Bartlett (2019, with Thomas Bartlett)
